


Choosing Happiness

by alesca_munroe



Series: Kingdom Hearts: Keyblade Princess [4]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 15:43:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9332063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alesca_munroe/pseuds/alesca_munroe
Summary: "Is happiness a choice?"Sora, in the aftermath.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'd apologise for constantly posting pieces of this series in the exact wrong order but I've never been good at following a linear timeline. Will work on posting chapters to the main work. It's my resolution.  
> Chronologically, this takes places after Alternative to Adjusting.

 

Sora looks over the sea, away from where the others chase each other across the sand.  He can hear Selphie's whoops of laughter, Riku's shouts, feel Fuu use her Wind affinity to get the jump on Wakka and Tidus, who continue to learn that the others play on an entirely different scale of what's fair and not.  The sun is shining overhead and it won't be long before it's time to break for lunch.  He smiles bitterly to himself- six months since they came back to Destiny Islands, and he's still waiting for the other shoe to fall, still feels unworthy of the warmth in his chest at Kairi's smile, of Riku's arm casual around his shoulders.

 

Sora feels Kairi's Light before he hears her coming.  The Keyblade Princess (chosen, proven, _worthy_ beyond measure of the title which had once been mocking in his mouth) sits in the sand next to him.  "What's on your mind?" Kairi queries without preamble.  Sun has darkened the freckles dotting across her cheeks, burned the tip of her nose, and she doesn't seem to notice.

 

Instead of answering immediately, he looks down at the sand.  Kairi waits, patient, fiddles with a keychain.  Even here at home, she is almost never without Oathkeeper.  The other blades make the occasional appearance, but she favours Oathkeeper, though Sora doesn't know why.  After long last (proving again that Kairi can and will out-stubborn them all every chance she gets), Sora sighs.  "Do you think," he starts, then shakes his head.  "Is happiness a choice?"

 

Kairi frowns a little.  "Is happiness a choice?" she repeats, contemplative.

 

Sora shrugs, makes a vague gesture towards their friends, even though he knows exactly where Selphie is.  There's a joy to the feel of her Ice magic.  It's at odds with other Ice users they encountered (cold, so cold, cold enough to freeze the Heart out of you and shatter what's left into glitter and dust) but not with Selphie's personality.  Her Ice feels like the breathless glee of a snow day, like the possibility to be found in a frozen forest.  Even when it was turned against him, fierce and sure, he could still feel the relentless happiness of Selphie's personality.  "Selphie's always happy, no matter what.  I mean, except for maybe back when-" He shrugs.  "Does she choose it?  Riku is happy, too, and he's earned that, and Fuu made her own happiness..."

 

Kairi puts one sandy hand on top of Sora's.  "You deserve to be happy," she tells him fiercely.  "So what if you were in the Dark?  You came back.  Not the same way as Riku, or the same time, but you deserve to be happy just as much.  You shouldn't- don't beat yourself up anymore, Sora.  Please."

 

Without warning, Riku drops down on Sora's other side.  Sora tries not to startle, but Riku's Shadows always did hide him a little too well when he put in the effort.  He was probably listening from the start.  "C'mon, Sora," he says, and reaches across the smaller teen to put his hand on top of Sora and Kairi's clasped fingers.  He looks content, more settled than he ever did before their misadventures.  "The Dark isn't hurting you today.  We'd know if it was."

 

Not only would they know, Kairi could banish it with a touch of Light, if Sora ever caved and asked.  He never does.  Today, however, Riku is right, and it's not the Dark eating at him.  "I'm... I feel _happy_  and I don't know why, because it's not like I chose it."

 

Kairi's smile looks like the sun rising.  "Oh, Sora," she says, and kisses his cheek.  "Sometimes, it chooses you."

 

The warmth in Sora's chest grows and grows at the kiss, at Riku's solid strength half-wrapped around him, and he holds tight to both their hands.  "Yeah," he says, and feels a smile stretch across his face.  He doesn't think about how long it's been since he felt like smiling from joy, just lets it happen.  "You're right."

 

Somehow, the three of them get up without letting go of each other and Sora finds himself in the middle of a hug.  "You deserve to be happy," Kairi whispers to him and he tightens his arms around them both.

 

Thundering footsteps pound down the beach and Selphie thoughtfully yells, "Group hug!" before tackling them right back into the sand.  An Aero cast from Fuu cushions the fall.  Wakka laughs, looping an arm around Tidus's neck and ruffling Selphie's hair with his free hand.  Tidus fist-bumps Riku, and Fuu gives Sora a short, knowing nod before shoving Tidus and Wakka properly into the pileup.

 

Sora laughs, and finally lets himself feel happy.


End file.
